


sunshine days and loving ways

by Drhair76



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: F/M, Love Confessions, Luke Patterson Loves Julie Molina, THEY HAVE TEA DATES!, luke calls julie sunshine and u can pry that from my cold dead hands, peep reggie molina at his finest, ray when the guitar ghost starts talking abt crushes: yOU WHAT?? IN MY HOUSE??, writing simp luke actually refilled my health bar thank u, writing this is just [sebastian voice] kiss the girl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27389719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drhair76/pseuds/Drhair76
Summary: Julie looks down at him, eyes turning into warm caramel in the spring sun. She looks like she's about to say something, but then decides not to."Want to hear what I've learned so far?" She asks instead.or, six times Luke and Julie say I love you without saying I love you and one time they do
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 20
Kudos: 349
Collections: JATP Appreciation Week





	sunshine days and loving ways

**Author's Note:**

> this one was a BIT rushed so she's not as good BUT. i love to jukebox on main so i dont even care !

_on a sunny Tuesday afternoon, with the sun glowing on your hair_

Luke leans over, a smile on his face. He props his chin on his hand and watches as Julie plays through some chord options. They've been writing all weekend, trying to come up with the perfect song for their new gig. 

"Okay so there's this-" She hits the keys once, twice, then a third. The sound is sweet and gentle. "Or, this." She plays it again, but this time plays the notes separately. It's more emotional in Luke's opinion. "I think it'll give the audience more of a change to catch on to what we're feeling. You know, to let them linger." 

Luke hums, pauses, then goes, "Julie?" 

Julie looks up, the sunlight filtering in through the window making her glow. "Yes?" 

He feels struck dumb. He hopes it isn't written all over his face. But then again, he wouldn't mind too much. "You're an amazing songwriter. I just- I just wanted to say that." 

Julie blinks. Then she smiles big. "You too Luke. I think we were meant to write together." 

Luke feels his face flush. "I think so too." 

...

_not said to me_

"I think you should just say it." Alex says. "Since when have you ever been the type to overthink?"

Luke frowns. He leans back against the couch and plucks absently at his guitar. He's been writing a new song without Julie and even though it's a gift for her, it still feels wrong. 

"I just- I want to get this _right_ Alex." He says. "I want it to be perfect." 

Alex makes a face. "It's not going to be perfect. Nothing is." 

"Some things are!"

"Like what?" Alex teases. "Julie?" 

" _Yeah."_ He huffs. 

Alex grins, rolling his eyes fondly. "I guess I can't argue with you there, but still. Just say it. I promise you that you're thinking about this too much- and that's coming from _me."_

Luke pointedly strums louder, his nicest way of telling Alex to _shut up._

…

_when baking chocolate chip cookies_

"Okay wait, what's the next step?" 

Carlos leans over to check Julie's phone from his place sitting on the counter. "Um, baking soda!"

"What even is baking soda?" Reggie asks, also squinting down at the phone. "I feel like I wouldn't want that in my cookies." 

Julie snorts. "Baking soda is a leveling agent Reg. It helps the cookies...cook." 

Carlos grins wide. "Reggie, we learned about baking soda in science class! It doesn't just bake cookies, it's actually _so_ much cooler-" 

Julie looks back and smiles at the sight of Carlos rambling excitedly to Reggie, who was just watching with the softest expression she's ever seen. All his attention was on Carlos and even though Carlos couldn't see or hear Reggie, he was one hundred percent certain that Reggie was fully invested. 

"Family means a lot to you." Luke says from next to her. She turns her head to see he's watching her watch them. 

"Of course." She moves to measure out the baking soda. A thought hits her. "Are you alright? I didn't see you much today. Did you go visit your family?"

Luke pauses then nods slowly. "I did." 

She dumps the baking soda into her bowl and gives him a gentle look. "Do you want to talk about it? You know you can always talk to me right?" 

Luke ducks his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I know. I feel alright though, honestly. They seemed happier today." 

"That's good. They're healing." Julie says. 

Luke is quiet for a moment, his eyes on Reggie and Carlos as they talk to one another through paper and pen. 

"So am I." He says finally, something open and vulnerable in his voice. "Thanks to you." 

Julie looks up sharply but Luke is gone with a pop.

…

_when we lay together on the fresh spring grass_

"Is that...a fiddle?" Luke asks, sitting down in the grass next to Julie. She looks up and smiles, bright like the sun. 

"Yeah! I figured that since our band is gaining traction, I might as well start learning it now. You know, in preparation for our country album." 

Luke bites back a grin, remembering Julie's throwaway comment almost two weeks ago. He knows the real reason that Julie is learning the fiddle- for Reggie. And that makes Luke feel all mushy and gooey on the inside. Like a chocolate chip cookie in the oven. 

"You're just going to learn a whole new instrument? Just like that?" He asks, awe filled. He's tried hard to learn another instrument but the best he can manage is the ukelele and _twinkle twinkle little star_ on the piano. 

The fiddle is a _ways_ away from a keyboard. 

Julie nods, then puts the fiddle under her chin. "It's harder than it looks, trust me." 

Luke leans back on the grass and throws his arms out. "That's what all you super talented people say. And then you play it perfectly." 

Julie looks down at him, eyes turning into warm caramel in the spring sun. She looks like she's about to say something, but then decides not to. 

"Want to hear what I've learned so far?" She asks instead. 

Luke nods eagerly and feels nothing but joy when she _does_ play it perfectly. 

_…_

_over a cup of tea_

"What's your favorite type of tea?" 

Luke looks up from his journal and at Julie's sleepy smile. She's got her hands folded around a steaming mug that smells like honey and herbs. 

Luke bets her hands are warm. 

"My favorite type of tea?" He repeats. "Um. I don't know, I'm not really a tea person." 

Julie squints. "That's what uncultured people say." 

" _Uncultured_?" Luke gasps jokingly. "I literally introduced you to rock."

Julie gets up and moves towards the kitchen, expecting Luke to follow. Of course, Luke does. 

"Yeah and you never shut up about it." She groans but she throws him a tiny grin to let him know that she's joking. "Here, I'm going to make you a cup of tea. Ghost style." 

"Ghost style?" 

"I'll try to make you tangible and see if you can drink it then." She explains. "Hopefully it works. Maybe this way we can find your favorite tea." 

Luke watches her methodically boil the water, pick out the tea bag then stir in some sugar. Her movements are slow and graceful. She looks put at ease. 

Just _watching_ her makes Luke feel calm. 

"You know, it's pretty late." He says, after seeing her stifle a yawn. "I don't think we'll find my favorite tea tonight." 

Julie finishes the cup off with a stir and smiles cheekily. "Then I guess we'll just have to do this again tomorrow night. And the next night. And the night after that." 

"I'd like that." Luke says honestly. 

She pushes the cup to him and Luke takes it with a shy chuckle. He's a little unsure of how he's going to be able to taste the tea until she reaches over and curls her hand over his. 

Suddenly Luke feels strong, more solid. When he takes his first sip, the warmth that spreads through his chest has more to do with Julie's hand on his than the tea. 

_…_

_through a song_

He knocks at the door hesitantly and waits for Julie's quiet, "come in." 

Luke peeks inside and frowns when he sees the Julie shaped lump on her bed. 

"Julie?" He creeps inside and sits down next to her on her bed. "Are you alright?"

She pokes a hand out of her blanket pile and gropes for Luke's. He offers it instantly, shivering when they actually touch. 

"Hi Luke." She croaks and Luke winces. "I'm okay, just sick. I think it's a cold. I should feel better in a couple of days." 

"Are you sure? You don't have a stomach ache?" 

Julie gives a weak smile. "I promise. No hot dogs for me." 

Luke relaxes and begins gently rubbing his thumb over her skin soothingly. "Do you need me to do anything to help? Maybe get you some water?" 

"Stay with me?" 

"Of course." He pauses, the adds. "Always." 

Julie moves over and lays her head in his lap, and Luke's hands brush her hair away from her warm face. Her eyes flutter closed and Luke starts to hum quietly, the way his mother used to do when he was sick. 

Julie's breathing evens out in the middle of _you're my sunshine_ and Luke is so in love that he feels it down to toes. 

_…_

_on a post it note_

Julie opens her locker in between classes and a yellow post-it note comes fluttering out. 

She sighs past the heaviness she feels and bends down to pick it up, expecting Flynn leaving a little joke to raise her spirits or Nick reminding her of his game on Friday. She's not particularly in the mood for either of them- having gotten up this morning with the echo of her mother's laugh in her ears. 

The only thing she really wants is to finish the school day and bury herself under her covers until tomorrow. Maybe Flynn wouldn't be able to relate, but she'd give Julie the space that she desperately needs. 

But when Julie looks at the note, it's _Luke's_ hand writing that stares back up at her. His familiar messy scrawl that she sees in his songwriting journal. 

_hey sunshine, you seemed down today so I just wanted to write you this note to remind you that you're a boss and you can do anything you put your mind to! I mean, you learned the fiddle in like, a week, so you're basically a superhuman in my eyes already! go knock 'em dead!!_

_-luke_

Julie blinks, the vision of Luke sitting on her kitchen counter swinging his legs wildly coming into her mind. She bites back a giggle, something warm and fond filling her up and- oh. 

_Oh._

She folds the note carefully and tucks it into her binder, then shuts her locker, newly invigorated to face the day. 

…

Julie comes home from school tired, but determined to find Luke. Unfortunately, the first person she runs into is her dad, who's sitting at the kitchen table looking down at a piece of paper with an unreadable expression.

"Dad?" She puts her bag down and walks over. " _Que esta mal?_ Is everything alright?" 

He looks up and she presses a kiss to his cheek, some of that tension in him easing. 

"I just talked to Luke." 

Julie pauses. "Oh? What did you two talk about?"

"Well, we talked about your next gig- when and where and the setlist." Ray rattles off and Julie nods, not surprised. "Then though, he got serious." 

Julie leans forward. When she left for school this morning she was very in her own head. She'd hate it if he was able to catch her mood and found a way to lift it but she wasn't able to do the same for him. 

"Is he okay?"

Ray nods vigorously. "Oh yeah, he's just fine but- ah- he told me that he holds you in high regard." 

Julie blinks. "High regard?" 

"He told me he likes you." 

"Oh." Julie pauses then grins stupidly. "Yeah? He said that?"

Ray squints at her for a moment then his expression softens. "He did. And he asked me for my blessing because, according to him, family means a lot to you." 

Julie can picture it. Luke, shifting nervously, scribbling out his responses to Ray's questions just because Julie mentioned that family was important to her. 

She feels like her heart is growing seven sizes off of that image alone. 

"He makes you happy?" Her dad asks her and Julie nods immediately, thinking of laughing till she has stomach cramps and smiling so hard her face hurts. She thinks of the way he compliments her like it's the same as breathing for him or the way he pours over with encouragement whenever she needs it. 

"He does _papi_." She says. "He really does." 

Ray nods. "Then go get him." 

…

Luke is just tuning his guitar when the studio doors burst open.

He won't lie, he's still half shaking from his conversation with Julie's dad and he doesn't think he's going to be able to look him in the eye for the next _month_ but- 

It was worth it. 

Julie comes in and her energy is _completely_ different to when he saw her this morning. "Luke," She starts, stomping up to him and looking down at him hard. "Did you talk to my dad today?" 

Luke shrinks a little and nervously puts down his guitar. "I did. I mean, I just wanted to- I don't know- do this the right way." 

"Do what?" 

He stands and rubs the back of his neck nervously. "Me and you. Us. If- if there is an us?" 

Julie's eyes go soft. She reaches out for his hand and Luke gives it, feeling that thrill run through him at her touch. He doesn't think he'll ever get tired of that. 

"Of course there's an us _idiota_ ." She sighs. " _Te amo._ I love you." 

Luke's face goes slack and then he grins so hard that his cheeks hurt. "You just...I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you this whole time. And you just. _Said it._ You're amazing Julie." 

Julie reaches up a hand to cup his cheek and Luke instantly sways into the touch. "Luke, you've been saying it this whole time. I know." 

"I guess Alex was right then-" Luke groans. "I _was_ overthinking it." 

"Come on Luke, Alex is always right. It's about time you figured that out." He groans again and she lets go of his hand, walking over to the piano. "Okay, so what was this set list that you were telling my dad about earlier?" 

Luke follows her without a second thought. 

**Author's Note:**

> :)


End file.
